Assigknoe to



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(110 Mddel.)

W. FOWLER. MACHINE FOR GUTTING CLOTH.

Patented Aug. 2, 1881.

FIG

I!!!" T" un|IlIIIIIIHMIUINHHIIIII11 T (No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

W. R. FOWLER. MACHINE FOR CUTTING CLOTH. No. 245,150. Patented Aug. 2,1881

176;.8- [1a. 9. Ila/0. ffG/l. I161. Z2. ["[CLJJ 11a, /4.

. STATES PATENT f OFFICE;

WlLLlAM aarowi nn, oFrHIL'ADELPHIA, rnNns LvAniA, A'ssrenoa- TO MAjRTIl T J.'MYERS,

whom it maywmm: known'th'at 1, WILLIAM R. FOWLER, acltlaen of the United States,' residing in Philaia, lgennsylrania, have inventcd'certain entsfin Machin'esfor Cutting Cloth, 'ehthe'followih'gis specification.

e mainobjectof inyinvention'is to so 0011- 1 struct a'rnachine for cutting cloth and like material that, the knife-carrying devices will be i 1 o entirely abbve the material, so thatvthe latter is n raised from the bed while it is being cut, f lirlther oliiects being tolpermit the commence the of the out at any desired point on the interim, to allow. cntting'in either direction,

toj stop the cutting operation without stopping the mea 'ement offltlie knife, and. topermjt the l free movement of the knife and knife-carrying devicesover the material in anydirection when the, knife is free from the cut.

:I the,accompanyingdrawings,Figurelis i m a w,lpartly in section and partly in elevati o n, showing my improvements in cloth-cntting machines; Fig. 2, a transverse section on the linel 2; Figs.3, ehand 5, perspective views 2 5 otparts of the knite-carrying device detached fr ,each other; Fig.6, a view of the knifecarrierari'anged for use in connectionwith a rotary cutti'ngdmife; Fig. 7 ,a pcr'spectiveview of part ofthe device shown in 'Fig. 6; Figs. 8

3o "*inclusire, views ot various forms of re cipro ting knives used in connection with the machine; Fig. 15, aview showing a modified a angement ofgearingg for use with two rot in knii es,"an d Fig. 16 a view of the dcranged for cutting strips.

In l ig. 1', A represents part of a table carrlyin" ,tllc cloth-sup )orting' bed which forms a g i l 7 one; ofthe main features othnyinvention. This supporting' bed consists, preferably, of hair,

biistles pam pas grass, or othercomparatively fiber ,i'a, on end and securedto a suitlackingfl, l

bed, for cohi enieiiee of transportation facilitateapplication t0 and removal 5 t mthetable A,is made iii-sections, as shown in Fi 1,and the fibers are secured to'the backnjany suitable manner: They may, for

' be em bedded'incement ajsshown on SAME PLACE.

terminate-non forming part of Letters 2mm; No. 245,150, dated August 2, 1881 I Application filed NoveniberlS, 18180. (No model.) I I be arranged'in knots and drawn through openings in the bacl'ring, in making brushes and as'shown' at the right-hand side of Fig.1; In fact, the particular method of securing the fibers to the backing may be varied to any are,

sired extent-,so long as the upturned ends of the fibers present a level and uniform bed on which the cloth may be laid;

I have discovered that a pile of cloth deposited on a cutting-bed of "this character is, so

lower portion of the cutting-knife can penetrate and be moved forwardfand backward through the same without-impediment, so that the cutting operation can be performed Without lifting the cloth from the bed, as usual, and

without impairing the proper and' firm bearsnpportingbed, liowYWe'f', isth'ztt'tlfe point or ing of the cloth upon the supporting-bed at all times, the fibers, on' the penetration of the" knifev into or movement of the same through the bed, fielding laterally to permit such en-' trance or movement, so that they will not be cut-or otherwise injuriously affected.

A plate, B,.rests upon the cloth, and this plate has two vertical standards,'d d, which .ser-ve as guides fora frame,D,prqjecting,fron1 or forming part of which is a handle, E. The frame 1) iscapable of sliding vertically on the standards d, aspring, a, on the plate B tending to elevate the frame, which, however, may

.be depressed and retained in the position to which it is adjusted, at spring-catch,f, having a series of retaining-notches, effecting the laton the frame.

furnished'with'a wheel, h, a cranlepin on the latter being connecteihby means of a rod, to a; slide, 73, adapted to and guided by a slotted "verticalstandard,j,- projecting from a tongue, iF,secured'to'theplate B. The slide icai'ries tl e cutti "g-k e n', whieh isconstructed; as: .1

'ter result e s g t with a projectinglng v To. suitable bearings in the frame D is adapt ed a shaft, 9, the projecting end of which is flt eriilay also be made tocutiuboth directions, 1

as shown in Fig. 14. Ahooked cutterof the character shown in Figs. 11 to la'isblunt onthe lower end, an'd'hence it may notbe necessary, in some cases where such cutters are used,

to employ a supporting-bed consisting of fibers set on end. The material or support used, however, must be of such a yielding or elastic character that it can be depressed without injury by the lower end of the knife when the latter rotary knife,

knife in following the pattern,

tion of the point or lower portion of said knife is projected and moved forward beneath the cloth. V

I do not desire to claim specifically in this application. hooked kni es cutting on the upward stroke, as above described, as this will form the subject of a separate application for a patent.

In place of a reciprocating knife or single rotary knife, two rotary knives turning in opposite directions and working in'a single cut may sometimes be used, the gearing in such case being similar to that shown in Fig. 15, on reference to which it will be observed that the pinion on the shaft 8 gears 'into two bevelwheels, one on a sleeve adapted to carry one and the other on a spindle passin g through said sleeve and adapted to carry the other knife.

When it is desired to cut a number of strips in succession a plate,w, adapted tobear against the edge of the layers of cloth and having arms connected to the plate B, may be used as shown in Fl 'g. 16, the plate being adjusted from and toward the knife in accordance with the width of the strip to be cut, so thatsaid plate acts both as a gage and guide.-

Although I prefer the plate B resting on the cloth as the means of supporting and carrying theknife and knife-operating devices, said knife and operating devices may be carried by a frame supported above the cloth on suitable guides or ways, if desired.

A cut pile fabric having a pile sufficiently long and stiff may in some cases be used as a supporting-bed, or fine wires may sometimes be used in place of animal or vegetable fibers,

the latter, however,'bein g preferred on account of their economy an d because the cuttingedge of the knife is not materially affected by contact therewith. j

Although I have shown and described my invention as applied to the cutting of cloth, it

will be evident that the machinecan be us d, or fibrous and [exfor cutting paper, leather, tile material generally.

I claim as my invention-'- ,1

1. The combination of emitting-knife, powerdriven mechanism for operating the same, a knife-carrier wholly above the surface of the material to be cut, and free to move over said surface in accordance with a thereon, and a supporting-bed for said material adapted to permit the traversing 5f the and the projec pattern ma 'lced forth. j

2. The within-described supporting-bed for the cloth or other material to be out, said bed beneath the material, all substantially as set consisting'of fibers arranged on end, asspeei- 3. A cloth'supportiug bed consisting of see tions, each composed of fibers arranged on end andsecured to a backing, as set forth;

4. The combination of a'bed adapted to support the material being cut, and to permit the traversing of the knife and the projection of the same beneath saidmaterial, with a knifecarrying plate'adapted to rest on the cloth and capable of being moved over the same in accordance with'the lines of a pattern marked thereon, and with devices'for actuating the knife, all substantially as specified.

5. The combination ofa supporting-bed, substantially as described, a movable knife-carrier supported on or above the surface of the cloth, and a flexible power transmittin g shaft for actuating'said knife, as specified.

6 The combination of a flexible power-trans mittin g shaft, G,with a movable knife-carrier, having a guard-ring, p, for limiting the inclination of said shaft, as specified.

7. The combination of the mechanism for traversing the knife over the material to be cut with the knife and knife-operating devices adjustable vertically in respect to said traversing mechanism, as described, whereby the knife may be withdrawn from the cloth without stopping the movement of said knife.

8. The combination of the mechanism for traversing the knife over the material to be cut with the knife and knife-operatin g devices vertically adjustable in respect to said traversingmechanism, and with a retainer for bolding the same in the depressed position, as set forth. I

9. The combination of'the mechanism for traversing the knife over the material to be cut with the knife and knife-operating devices vertically adjustable in respect to said traversing mechanism, and with a spring for elevating the same, as described.

10. lT'he combination of the knife and knifeoperating devices with the knifecarrying plate 13,-adapted t2 rest on the material to be cut, and having a, ongue, v1i, contracted at and near ,the knife-slo t, as specified.

11. The cembinat'ion of the knife and knifeoperating devices with the knife-carryin g plate 15,- adapted to rest onthe material to be cut, and'havi ig a tongue, F, detachably secured thereto, as set forth.

12. Tlze combination of asupporting-bed, substan ially as described, a'knife-carrier supported/on or above the matcrialgto be cut, a knife sharpened on both edges so as to out either fbrward or backward, and devices for reciprocating said knife, as specified. 13. The combination of the supporting-bed, substantially as described, with a knif,e carrier supported on or above the material try be cut, and a reciprocating knife having al ipointed lower end \vhemh 1 it is ada Had to enter the In testimon 'whel'eoflhavesi 110d mvname material at anypoiut, as described. to this specification in the presence of two 14. Thecombinutiou oftheknifesarricrwith subscribing witnesses. :1 plate, "1', secured to said carrier, and adapted WM. R. FOWLER. 5 to hear on the edge of the material which is Witnesses:

lming cut, whereby it serves as a gage and JAMES F. TOBIN,

guide for the cutting of strips, as set forth. HARRY SMITH. 

